SANParks.org ForumsDiscussing the National Parks of South Africa2007-10-06T00:13:51+02:00https://www.sanparks.org/forums/feed.php?f=22&t=141582007-10-06T00:13:51+02:002007-10-06T00:13:51+02:00https://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14158&p=359646#p359646The orange form is the real deal , although I must admit , that having both orange and yellow plants , the yellow nursery variety is a far neater bush .Both attract the same sort of birds like sunbirds for instance . I have read that the orange variety attracts more birds , but I honestly do not find this the case .

If you want to fill a large area , get the orange one , if you want a neat rounded bush , go yellow .

]]>2007-08-01T09:17:38+02:002007-08-01T09:17:38+02:00https://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14158&p=322546#p322546Our honeysuckle was flowering profusely until the snow came and the plant got severe frost bite .

]]>2007-07-31T21:58:26+02:002007-07-31T21:58:26+02:00https://www.sanparks.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=14158&p=322423#p322423I've consulted my Palgrave's "Trees of Southern Africa" and according to the author the colour of the flowers range from orange to scarlet. I assume that this is the colour range of the "natural" growing plants, because our local indigenous nursery have 4 varieties of Honyesuckle in stock - red, orange, yellow as well as salmon coloured.

I've planted the red, orange & yellow ones in my garden and I must say that they are stunning to look at and the birds love them as well!

arks wrote:Thanks for confirming the IDs, JB and also for the further info on the Cape honeysuckle. I wonder whether, because the S3 is so close to where there are resorts and other non-KNP places just on the other side of the river, the Cape honeysuckle and the alien ageratum might have "flown in" from outside of the park?

It is very possible arks, the other major contributor in the spreading of some of these plants were the floods.Also as i said they planted Cape honeysuckle in quite a few of the camps, so very easy to spread from there. Saying this i must add that there is quite a few places in the bushveld and around forest margins where they do occur naturally, so the above 'assumptions' can be totally wrong... (although i can't remember seeing them there in earlier years).

arks wrote:Also, I saw the Cape honeysuckle along the S3, is it also an "invader" like the ageratum?

arks the Cape honeysuckle is not an 'invader', but as Imberbe indicated, usually a more recognised garden plant (therefor often more seen inside the camps). In SA it is widely cultivated as a garden ornamental with various cultivars including yellow, red, pink and pale orange flowers.